Billiard table cushion



Feb. 6, 1968 M. K. WOODS BILLIARD TABLE CUSHION Filed Nov. 9, 1964 r INVENTOR.

' BY Michael K. Woods ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiiice 3,367,654 Patented Feb. 6, 1968 3,367,654 BILLIARD TABLE CUSHION Michael K. Woods, Bloomington, Minn, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Larson Industries, lino, St. Paul, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Filed Nov. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 409,968 3 Claims. (Cl. 2739) This invention relates to improvements in a billiard table cushion. More particularly, the invention is concerned with the construction and assembly of parts to provide a billiard table cushion in which the resilience is improved and prolonged.

In the past, billiard table cushions have been made of resilient material such as rubber, or cloth coated rubber which was secured throughout its back surface to the side rail of the table by glue or other adhesive material. I have found that such glues or adhesives as have been used for this purpose frequently tend to enter into some form of chemical reaction with the atmosphere and with the materials forming the cushion so as to harden the cushion, and thereby reduce its resilience. The drying or hardening of the cushioning material also causes it to separate from the side rail, particularly when placed under extreme stress, such as a player sitting or partially sitting on the edge of the table. On the one hand, hardening of the cushion greatly reduces the resilience of the cushion, thereby reducing the reflection of a moving ball away from the cushion. On the other hand, separation or even partial separation of the cushion deadens the reflection of the ball, or contact with the ball at a point below the center of the ball, which will cause the latter to bounce and thus destroy the accuracy of play.

In the present invention, I have provided a side rail construction consisting of a cushion composed of a resilient material which in cross section is generally triangular in configuration, and provided with wing-like projections that extended in prolongation of two surfaces of the cushion to overlie portions of the table side rail and thereby permit the cushion to be mechanically secured to the side rail. Producing the cushion in accordance with this form of construction permits securing the cushion to the side rail with mechanical fasteners rather than glue or other forms of adhesive. The elimination of the glue or similar adhesive avoids the undue hardening of the resilient material, and thereby increases and prolongs the resilience of the cushion. In addition, the new form of construction eliminates or seriously reduces the possibility of injury to the cushion caused by a player sitting, or partially sitting on the table edge while engaged in the playing of the game.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved billiard table cushion construction which eliminates the need of an adhesive, and thereby provides prolonged and greater resilience to the cushion.

Another object is to provide a billiard table cushion which is generally triangular in cross section and provided with wing-like extensions on two of the surfaces which are intended to overlie additional parts of the table side rail to thereby provide greater strength to the cushion.

A further object is to provide a billiard table side rail construction which will permit securing the cushion to the side rail by mechanical means, and in such a manner as to avoid reducing the resilience of the cushion to the impact of a moving ball.

Other and further objects may become apparent from the following specification and claims, and in the ap pended drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial section of a billiard table illustrating the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, the invention will be described in detail.

General reference numeral 4 indicates in its entirety a fragmentary portion of a billiard table, including a side rail construction forming the present invention. Reference character 6 indicates a fragmentary portion of the fiat playing surface of the table. Reference character 8 indicates a unitary side rail that is secured to the table by means not shown. The side rail 8 is provided with a top surface 10, a bottom surface 12 and a back surface 14. A front or working surface 16 of the rail 81 extends from the bottom surface 12 at an angle of 60 with respect to surface 12. The front end of the side rail 8 also contains angular surfaces 18 and 20, which are converging on an angle of approximately 15 towards an intersecting surface indicated at 22, which is also disposed at an angle of substantially 15 from a vertical plane.

A cushion member indicated generally at 24 is composed of extruded gum rubber and is formed with a slightly convex top surface 26, a nose 28, and a slightly convex Working surface 30. The cushion member 24 is also provided with a back surface 32 that conforms to the angular configuration of surface 22 of the side rail 8, and within the back surface 32 is a groove or recess 34 that extends longitudinally throughout the full horizontal dimension of the back surface 32. Extending rearwardly in prolongation of the top surface 26, and the working surface 30, or substantially tangential to these surfaces, are wing-like projections 36, 38, which overlie the angular surfaces 18 and 20 of the side rail 8. The cushion member 24, as indicated in FIG. 1, is secured to the angular surfaces 13 and 20 of the side rail 8 by means of staples 40, or other similar mechanical fastening devices that penetrate the wing-like projections 38, and secure these portions to the side rail in rear of the back surface 32.

A layer of fabric 42 is secured to the side rail 8, and extends around the cushion member 24 to cover the latter, but may be, as observed in FIG. 2, the fabric 42 is separated from part of the Working surface 30 of member 24, and working surface 16 of the side rail 8 to permit flexure of the cushioning device at the area indicated at 44 when the cushion is struck by a ball, or is placed under other stress.

The manner in which the side rail construction is made and assembled can be readily determined from the drawing. When a billiard ball is driven against the side rail, it engages the nose portion of the cushion at a point above the center of the ball. The cushion 24 flexes at the area 44 of the working face in a manner well understood in the art, but since the cushion member is secured to the side rail 8 by the staples 40, or other similar devices penetrating the wing-like portions 36, 38, the cushion member is to a degree flexible throughout its full dimension, since its mobility is not impeded, as in the case where an adhesive layer secures the back surface to the side rail, as taught by the prior art. This arrange ment increases the resilience of the cushion member 24, and thereby imparts liveliness to the table. If a player sits, or partially rests on the side rail, the degree of angular contact of the inner surfaces of the cushion with the side rail will absorb the stress without causing separation of parts. This feature is of considerable importance, particularly among amateurs who may find it difiicult to make certain plays, for it is well recognized that separation of the cushion member from the side rail will deaden or seriously diminish the resilience of the cushion, as well as a lowering of the point of contact with the ball, which might produce bouncing of the ball.

Also, because the cushion member 24 does not have glue or other adhesive applied to it, which tends to dry or decompose, as well as harden the cushion member,

the life of the cushion member and its associated parts is substantially prolonged.

The invention is defined in the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a billiard table, a side rail, the inner edge of which is a flat surface that intersects upper and lower converging surfaces; and a cushion projecting inwardly from said side rail formed of resilient material having a body portion which is substantially triangular in cross section forming a top surface, a nose, :1 working face, a back surface, and Wing-like projections formed integral with said body portion extending rearwardly in prolongation of said top surface and said working surface beyond said back surface of said cushion and overlying the converging surfaces of said side rail.

2. In a billiard table, a side rail, the inner edge of which is composed of converging upper and lower surfaces that terminate in a flat inner surface, a cushion projecting inwardly from said side rail, composed of resilient material having a body portion which is substantially triangular in cross section, forming a top surface, a nose, a Working face, a back surface, and winglike projections extending rearwardly in prolongation of said top surface and said working surface beyond said back surface and in overlying relationship with the converging surfaces of said side rail; and fastening means securing said wing-like projections of said cushion to the respective converging surfaces of said side rail.

3. In a billiard table, a side rail, the inner edge of which is composed of upper and lower converging surfaces that terminate in a flat inner surface, a cushion projecting inwardly from said rail, composed of resilient material having a body portion formed with a surface that engages a moving ball above the center of said ball, said cushion formed with wing-like portions tangentially from said body portion in overlying relationship with the converging surfaces of said side rail, and fastening means securing said wing-like portions of said cushion to the respective converging surfaces of said side rail.

References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 613,407 10/1888 Bullock 2739 861,148 7/1907 Smith 2739 1,652,671 12/1927 Hoskin 2739 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A BILLIARD TABLE, A SIDE RAIL, THE INNER EDGE OF WHICH IS A FIRST SURFACE THAT INTERSECTS UPPER AND LOWER CONVERGING SURFACES; AND A CUSHION PROJECTING INWARDLY FROM SAID SIDE RAIL FORMED OF RESILIENT MATERIAL HAVING A BODY PORTION WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY TRIANGULAR IN CROSS SECTIION FORMING A TOP SURFACE, A NOSE, A WORKING FACE, A BACK SURFACE, AND WING-LIKE PROJECTIONS FORMED INTEGRAL WITH SAID BODY PORTION EXTENDING REARWARDLY IN PROLONGATION OF SAID TOP SURFACE AND SAID WORKING SURFACE BEYOND SAID BACK SURFACE OF SAID CUSHION AND OVERLYING THE CONVERGING SURFACES OF SAID SIDE RAIL. 